Cross-border terrorism and ISIS-inspired terrorism continue to pose a threat to humanity, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said here on Tuesday while addressing a conference on the role of Ulema in fostering a culture of Interfaith Peace and Social harmony in India and Indonesia.

“As you all are aware, both our countries have been victims of terrorism and separatism. While we have overcome the challenges to a considerable extent, the phenomenon of cross-border and ISIS-inspired terrorism continues to pose a threat,” he said.

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Cooperation of the civil society was essential in countering the threat from ISIS-inspired individual terror cells and returnees from theatres like Syria and Afghanistan, the NSA added.

He said the aim of today’s discussion was to bring together Indian and Indonesian Ulema and scholars who can take forward the cooperation in promoting tolerance, harmony and peaceful co-existence. “This will bolster the fight against violent extremism, terrorism and radicalisation,” he added.

Underlining that extremism, radicalisation and the misuse of religion on any ground was unjustified, Doval said extremism and terrorism were against the very meaning of Islam because Islam has always meant peace and well-being (Salamati/Asalaam).

He was of the view that ”we should focus on the real message of our religions, which stands for the values of humanism, peace and understanding. Indeed, as the Holy Quran itself teaches, killing one person is like killing all humanity and saving one is akin to saving humanity. Islam ordains that the most excellent form of Jihad is ‘Jihad Afzal’ – that is, Jihad against one’s senses or ego- and not against innocent civilians.”

A senior Indonesian Minister Mohammed Mahfud MD is in Delhi at the invitation of Doval. Mahfud, the Coordinating Minister for the Political, Legal, and Security Affairs of Indonesia is accompanied by a high-level delegation of Ulema. The delegation also met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar today.

Visiting Ulema from Indonesia will also be interacting with their Indian counterparts. The discussion will be on the ‘Role of Ulema in fostering a culture of interfaith peace and social harmony in India and Indonesia’.